Call for proposals — EACEA/24/10 — The Jean Monnet programme support to European associations active at European level in the field of education and training and European integration
Date: 2010-10-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European association, European integration, continuing education, continuing vocational training, economic and social cohesion, education








C_2010287EN.01000801.xml










23.10.2010   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 287/8





CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA/24/10
The Jean Monnet programme support to European associations active at European level in the field of education and training and European integration
2010/C 287/05
1.   Objectives and description

The purpose of this call for proposals is to support European associations in the fields of education and training active in:






—


European integration subjects, and/or










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pursuing the objectives of the European education and training policy.




The ‘Lifelong Learning Programme’ (1) and more specifically its Jean Monnet sub-programme constitutes the legal basis.
In the implementation of Key Activity 3 of the Jean Monnet programme, the specific objectives of this call for proposals are:






—


to support high-quality European associations contributing to increasing knowledge and awareness on the European integration process through education and training,










—


to support high-quality European associations contributing to the implementation of at least one of the strategic objectives of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’) (2).




The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (‘the Agency’), acting under powers delegated from the European Commission (‘the Commission’), is responsible for the management of this call for proposals.
2.   Eligible applicants

A European association is eligible if it satisfies the following conditions:






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is a non-profit organisation,










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is located and has legal personality and seat for more than two years uninterrupted (on date of call deadline) in one or several (3) LLP eligible countries (the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, Croatia and Switzerland),










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undertakes the majority of its activities in the Member States of the European Union, and/or in other LLP eligible countries,










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exists as a body pursuing an aim of general European interest as defined in Article 162 of the implementing rules for the Financial Regulation laid down by Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 (4),










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operates in the field of education and training at European level as principal activity,










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includes member organisations having their seat in different EU Member States (5) as follows:






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if applying for a framework partnership agreement, includes member associations minimum from nine different EU Member States,










—


if applying for an annual operating grant, includes member associations minimum from six different EU Member States.








Such members must have ‘full member’ status (associated members and observers are not considered as ‘full members’). Also the members of a European association must have a member-based structure, be non-profit organisations and be active in education and training.
Concerning the eligibility of European association's member organisations please note that: private individuals, individual organisations without a member-based structure, individual higher education institutions, profit making bodies, public bodies and institutions that are part of the administrative structure of the Member States are not considered to be eligible member organisations.
3.   Eligible activities

European Union financing under this call for proposals takes the form of operating grants. These grants support certain operational and administrative costs of the selected beneficiaries for European activities carried out according to an agreed work programme.
The activities of the proposed work programme must contribute to:






—


increasing knowledge and awareness on the European integration process through education and training, and/or










—


the implementation of at least one of the following strategic objectives of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’) (6):






1.


making lifelong learning and mobility a reality;










2.


improving the quality and efficiency of education and training;










3.


promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship;










4.


enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training.








The period of eligibility of costs for a work programme of maximum 12 months shall start between 1 January 2011 and 1 April 2011 and may not extend beyond the end of the beneficiary's budgetary year.
Two schemes for a possible agreement are proposed:
3.1.   Framework partnership agreement

Organisations wishing to establish a long-term relationship are invited to submit an application for a framework partnership agreement. This kind of agreement formalises a partnership for three years.
Applications for a framework partnership agreement must include:






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a detailed 12-month work programme (7) for 2011 together with a corresponding budget,










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a three-year action plan (a description of their long-term strategy and objectives), covering the period 2011-2013.




The action plan should spell out the specific proposed objectives according to the sub-sector of the education and training targeted by the application (general education, vocational training, higher education, adult learning, etc.), set clear priorities for the foreseen and planned activities in line with the objectives they contribute to (knowledge and awareness on the European integration or strategy framework ET 2020), define the results expected and the timing to get them.
3.2.   Annual operating grant agreement

Organisations not wishing to make a long-term commitment under a framework partnership agreement may submit an application for an annual operating grant.
Applications for annual operating grant must contain:






—


a detailed 12-month work programme for 2011 together with the corresponding budget.




A clear and timely planned work programme specifying the kind and level of the European cooperation including detail on the target population benefiting from the activities is required.







N.B.


An organisation can apply for a framework partnership agreement or for an annual operating grant agreement.
An organisation having applied for a framework partnership agreement and not having been successful may be considered and selected for an annual operating grant agreement.




4.   Award criteria

The decision on the award of a framework partnership agreement is taken on the basis of the equally weighted criteria included in paragraph A and B.
The decision on the award of an annual operating grant is taken on the basis of the equally weighted criteria included in paragraph B only.






A.


The overall quality of the three-year action plan (2011-2013):






1.


the relevance, clarity and coherence of the long-term objectives (2011-2013); the coherence between the proposed action plan and the actions carried out by the organisation in the past;










2.


the strategy for achieving the anticipated results, the methodology and management, including the organisational model (distribution of tasks between the members of the association) to ensure that the objectives and results are achieved with the benefit of the European approach;










3.


the expected medium and long-term impact of the activities on education and/or training at European level (transnational nature of the activities), relevance to the strategy and objectives of the ‘ET 2020’; representativeness of the organisation as regards the target groups it represents, appropriateness of the methods envisaged to ensure the quality of the results and monitor and assess the activities, dissemination and utilisation of the results.














B.


The quality of the detailed work programme for the first 12 months in 2011 and its coherence with the three-year action plan (2011-2013) (8).
The quality of the detailed 12-month work programme is assessed on the basis of the following three award criteria:






1.


the relevance, clarity and coherence of the short-term objectives (12 months);










2.


the quality of the management of the work programme (clarity and coherence of the activities and budgets proposed to achieve the objectives, timetable);










3.


the expected impact of the activities on education and/or training at European level (in particular the degree to which the association contribute to the implementation of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’) and/or to increasing knowledge and awareness on the European integration process), visibility and promotion of planned activities and dissemination of results, European added value.








A more detailed description of what information is to be provided for each award criteria by the applicant is contained in Annex 1 to the Guide for Applicants.
5.   Budget

The total indicative EU budget for the co-financing of European associations under this call is EUR 1 700 000.






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The maximum annual operating grant per association (corresponding to the first budgetary year 2011) in the case of a framework partnership agreement shall not exceed EUR 100 000. However, there is foreseen the possibility to increase the maximum amount of grant for the second year (2012) to EUR 125 000 and for the third year (2013) to EUR 150 000.










—


The maximum operating grant per association for an annual work programme of 12 months (corresponding to one budgetary year 2011) shall not exceed EUR 100 000. The same maximum (EUR 100 000) is foreseen for 2012 and 2013.




Applicant organisations can choose between two systems of co-financing:






(a)


budget based financing: the traditional eligible costs financing for which the EU financial support may not exceed 75 % of the total eligible costs set out in the budget for the association’s work programme;










(b)


flat rate financing: flat rate based financing (on the basis of the number of staff members) for which the EU financial support may not exceed 75 % of the summary of provisional expenditure and income statement for the relevant year.




The period of eligibility of costs for a work programme of maximum 12 months shall start between 1 January 2011 and 1 April 2011 and may not extend beyond the end of the beneficiary's budgetary year.
6.   Submission of proposals and deadline

The deadline for submission of the online application (eForm) is:
15 December 2010 at 12.00 noon — Brussels time
for both:






—


application for a framework partnership agreement (2011-2013) including the application for an operating grant specific to 2011,










—


application for an annual operating grant for 2011.




Applications for a framework partnership agreement (2011-2013) and/or annual operating grant agreements for the 2011 budgetary year must be made using the online grant application form (eForm). This online submission is considered to be the master copy.
The official online grant application (eForm) is available at the following Internet address: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu in English, French and German and must be duly completed in one of the official languages of the European Union.
However, in order to provide safeguards for both applicants and for the Agency, and in order to submit additional required information a complete paper copy of the application dossier (a paper copy of the submitted eForm together with additional documents — see Section 13 of the Guidelines for Applicants) must also be sent by postal mail to the Agency by the deadline (15.12.2010):





Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency




Unit P2 — Lifelong Learning: Erasmus, Jean Monnet




Call for Proposal — EACEA/24/10




Office: BOU2 3/165




Avenue du Bourget/Bourgetlaan 1




1040 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË




7.   Full details

The guidelines for applicants, as well as the online application form and annexes, are available at the following address http://eacea.ec.europa.eu


(1)  See Decision No 1720/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 establishing an action programme in the field of lifelong learning (OJ L 327, 24.11.2006, p. 45).
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:327:0045:0068:EN:PDF

(2)  http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc1120_en.htm

(3)  In the case of a relocation of the legal entity.

(4)  According to this definition, an organisation pursuing an aim of general European interest is:






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a European body involved in education, training, information or research and study in European policies or a European standards body, or










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a European network representing non-profit bodies active in the Member States or in the candidate countries and promoting principles and policies consistent with the objectives of the Treaties.





(5)  In addition, the European association may include member-associations based in other EU Member States and other countries.

(6)  See footnote 2.

(7)  The level of detail of the work programme for 2011 is the same for an application for an annual grant and for a framework partnership agreement.

(8)  Coherence evaluated only in case of submitting an application for a framework partnership agreement.